


BEYOND THE GLOWING WHIRLPOOL

by Amyleah_August



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Character Development, F/M, Falling In Love, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26178328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amyleah_August/pseuds/Amyleah_August
Summary: Stacie, an exceptionally skilled in linguistics and cryptograms, earthling. She gets recognized for her archeological expertise and becomes a part of the team of researchers that travel beyond the stars, to study a believed to be a mythical metropolis, Atlantis. Ivar is a Satteran warrior from another planet. He is hot beyond description as much as he is arrogant and conceited. To him, people from Earth are nothing but weak, primitive inferiors. Until he meets this one earthling girl named Stacie. Delicate and fragile in his eyes, she is very unfit for the dangers of his world. But oh so unwittingly enticing. Never in his life, he thought that everything he scorns about the earthlings will turn out to be exactly what attracts him to this girl. Trying not to lose his head, Ivar has a lot to juggle between his duties to the crown, Atlantis, and dealing with this clever and willful earthling girl who shakes his cold and lonely world. Will his pride be able to resist the charm of a sweet soul, or will he sacrifice his personal principles for a chance to heal his own broken soul? Or will he lose her altogether, to the dangers which threaten to rip her away from him each time she sets out on a mission?





	1. Pilot

Stacie received a summon to the capital headquarters, where all the government top-secret affairs took place.

-Miss Maclay. Your exceptional expertise in artifacts study, linguistic abilities, and puzzle-solving skills have caught our attention - said the chairman of the office. - We've followed up your work on fields, and archaeological sites, and were thoroughly impressed with your success. We could really use a person like you on a certain operation we've been working on.

-Thank you, sir, I'm really honored. What is this operation? - Asked Stacie burning with curiosity.

-We have made the grandest discovery of all times and really could use a person of your talents to help us with it.

 _"A grand discovery?"_ Thought Stacie. 

Her eyes burned with anticipation. Historical artifacts and ancient relics were her entire world. Her life. And the word "discovery" triggered a spark of excitement in her. She could barely keep still in her spot.

-What kind of discovery? - she asked with evident impatience.

But the chairman wasn't in a hurry to satisfy her curiosity. He slowly straightened up in his chair, while moving his laptop, with Stacie's resume on it, aside.

-What I'm about to tell you, is top-secret. So, before we get down to business, there are some confidentiality documents I must go over with you, and which you must sign. - he placed a file with some paperwork on the desk and tapped it with his fingers. Then he slightly leaned forward, and with a very serious look on his face, stared straight at Stacie, who was sitting across from him, and said - Now, remember miss Maclay, it all solely depends on your own free will and choice. We are not at liberty to force you to do anything you do not wish to do. But once you have signed those documents, you're life as you know it, will change forever. So, think this through very carefully. I cannot disclose the details of this matter until you sign the contract. I can only tell you this. It is hard, and a dangerous quest. You may even be asked to stay abroad for as long as five years, without contacting your family or friends. That's how serious this mission is. Do you understand?

She stiffened. What could be so serious, that would require a commitment to that extent?

-Yes sir, I understand. - She replied nervously.

-So then, please take a moment to consider whether you want to be a part of this or not. - He slid the file over to her side. - Please read those documents, so that you will be well aware of the requirements and its risks. And sign it, when you have made the decision. I will give you some time to think. - And he got up and walked out of the office.

Stacie stared at the file in front of her, which concealed a mystery of the quest that required her expertise. Hers... Someone who isn't particularly special or had great connections or grand achievements for which she could be recognized, or anything. And yet, here she is, at the headquarters... staring at the file, chosen for this mission. A mission that will be the beginning of a whole new life for her. Why her? Why was she picked of all colleagues in the crew she was working with? Could this be her dream come true, of doing something bigger with her skills, than just translating and cataloging old relics found by her crew at archeological sites? Not that she hated that job. Or could this be something far too much for her to handle?

⚜️

This really was something to think about. A project that requires full dedication, and to leave your personal life behind. Her personal life. She doesn't have much of a personal life. The archaeology basically was her personal life. 

" _You may not be able to contact your family or friends for as long as five years._ " Rang through her mind. 

Her family? Friends? Does she even have that? Her father died in a car accident when she was eighteen, and her mother... well, she hasn't seen her mom since her father died. Her mom was an ambassador for a small nonprofit charity organization, that fought poverty in third world countries all over the globe, helping those less fortunate poor people. A noble profession, but it took up most of her time traveling and being away from the family, so Stacie saw her very rarely. She was practically raised by her dad. Stacie often wondered, why her dad stayed with a woman who was never there. But her father loved her mother too much, to leave her, or tear her away from her passion. She was his first love. In fact, her compassion and ambitions are what made him fall in love with her in the first place. Marrying her, he knew very well, what he signed up for, so he never complained. Not even once. 

" _And my mother, headstrong, driven, compassionate, with a huge heart... of course she loved my father and me as well. But she just couldn't stay put, living a happy life, while somewhere out there, there was a child, who starved."_

But as a child herself, Stacie would miss her mother very much and often would be angry with her for traveling so much. She'd be gone for a month or two, then come home for about a month, then be gone again. Stacie had lost count, how many birthdays or holidays her mother had missed in all those years. But at least then, she'd still come back every so often. But when Stacie's father died, her mother was broken. She thought that her "home", her place that she could always come back too, no matter where the world takes her, was gone. And right after Stacie went to college, to study languages and archaeology, her mother disappeared and Stacie hasn't heard from her ever since. Only an occasional postcard indicated that she was alive, saving the world somewhere out there. It's been four years since she's graduated from university, and has been working on the field, traveling the world herself, so in a way, she could relate to her mother. 

" _Heh... No contact up to five years huh... Would it matter? I haven't seen my mother in eight years. A few more won't make much of a difference._ \- thought Stacie - _She's out there, somewhere, making a difference in a world. And I have a chance to be a part of something big too. So..._ "

⚜️

-Have you made your decision, miss Maclay? - Asked the chairman upon returning to the office after a short while.

-Yes, sir, I have. - She said determinedly and handed him the file.

The chairman opened it and flipped through the pages. Then he rose from his spot and extended his hand towards Stacie.

-Congratulations miss Maclay. You are now a part of the history-making venture. Welcome on board of the "Pegasus Operation" project! - And he shook her hand.

_Thank you for reading._ _Please leave comments. Your feedback is greatly appreciated._


	2. THE QUEST

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers. As you may have noticed, the format of my writing is a bit unusual. I use (-) for my dialogues instead of traditional (""). I write it like that because that's how the books are written in my language and so I started doing it by force of a habit. Now my entire story in the draft is in that format, and I am too burnt out to go back and change the whole 70-chapter-thing. I plan to in the near future, but for now, I do apologize to those who find it very strange and unconventional for them. But I promise you one thing, this format is quite easy to adapt to and once you start reading, you will get so used to it, it will become natural. So the next time you encounter another confused writer like me, and their work in such format, it will make you smile as you will know why we do it. 

**STACIE MACLAY** _Cheerful, clever, sometimes clumsy but very social and sweet. Very smart and a bit of a book worm. Specializes in archaeology and linguistics._ _Likes to sketch, listen to music, and play table tennis._

⚜️

" _There is no going back now._ " Thought Stacie, as she took one last look around her apartment, her little workspace, and a personal little library of some of her favorite book collection. _"_ _I sure am going to miss this place. It was my very first place that I owned, ever since I ended up on my own. Sure I don't have to give it up, and in case the project doesn't go well or aborted, I'll need a place to come back to, but who knows how long it's going to be before I see it again."_ She hesitated for a bit, then sighed, and locked the door. As if closing the last page of a chapter, before moving on to the next.

-I am ready for the new and epic adventure! -She said to her self - Atlantis! here I come! - A wave of butterflies swirled in her stomach at the thought of Atlantis. 

She took a deep breath, and made her way down the stairs, carrying a couple of well-packed suitcases. A car that was sent by the chairman to pick her up, and take her to a whole new life, was already waiting for her in the parking lot around the building. She recalled the interview, at the chairman's office.

⚜️

-Congratulations miss Maclay. You are now a part of the history-making venture. Welcome on board to the "Pegasus Operation" project!

-Thank you.

-Now, allow me to explain what "Pegasus Operation" is about. Have you ever heard of "Atlantis" miss Maclay?

-It's believed to be a mythical city, full of unimaginable treasures, secrets, power, and technology beyond our understanding. That Atlantis?

-The very same.

-Of course, I know of it. It's my childhood dream. I only owned every book and film in existence about it. - She laughed - But, it's only a legend. A myth from very old folklore stories, no?

-Was, until today.

-What... what do you mean until today? - Stacie blinked at the chairman in a confusion. - Are you... trying to say it's... real?! - She gave him a quizzical brow.

-As you and I. - Replied the chairman.

She gawked at him in disbelief. She couldn't wrap her head around what she just heard. Here she is, sitting in government-owned headquarters, with the organization's chairman, telling her, that the Atlantis, a mythical city from children's storybooks, actually... exists? Is this for real? Is... is it some kind of joke?... But then again, why would the chairman of the government secret affairs office be joking about something like that? She stared at him wide-eyed, with her head spinning out of control in confusion, and for some odd reason, there was this strange flutter steering up in her stomach. 

" _Can it be...? My fantasies...."_ She thought to herself. " _NO WAY!_ "

-I know it's hard to take in, but believe me, miss Maclay, what I'm telling you is the real truth. And in short while, you will confirm it for your self.

-So then... the top-secret grand discovery you were talking about, is actually... Atlantis?!

-Yes.

-Thee Atlantis... - Stacie kept asking as if repeating it a hundred times will somehow make it more believable.

-That's right. - He answered calmly.

-Wha... where?... Amazon somewhere?... Beyond the red line border?*

-No.

-Then... Where?! Is it under the ocean? There were theories that Atlantis if ever existed, maybe hidden underwater somewhere. Well, what would be left of it by now...

-Heh, well, yes. It was hidden underwater until we found it and brought it up to the surface, and believe me, it is quite intact. But it's not on Earth actually.

-Not on Earth? What do you mean...

-Erm... this may sound absurd and unbelievable to you, but we have discovered a way to um... travel beyond our planet, so to speak.

-What?!... - Mouth drop open, Stacie gaped at the chairman. - H... how?...

-Through a teleportation device, called Stargate.

-Star... gate...?

-Yes. It's a device that creates a sort of wormhole through which you can travel to another world within seconds. - He tried to explain - Now, I'm not sure, the world where we discovered Atlantis, is whether in some other galaxy of our Universe somewhere or in a whole other dimension, that part we haven't figured out yet. I mean, it only has been a year since we got there, but that place has its own space full of galaxies, with many planets that are inhabited by different races of people. And each planet has its own stargate portal. So, now at least we know, where the one we discovered on Eart, came from. The question is, how it ended up all the way here...

Stacie stared at the chairman in a total stupor. A ton of questions mixed with the attempt of trying to comprehend what she heard just now, swirled in her mind like a storm, as she was starting to realize how much she still doesn't know, even though she spent years studying the history and science of her world. The chairman looked at her bewildered expression and sighed.

-I see that you are at a complete loss. Well then, I guess I'll start from the beginning.

⚜️

To make the long story short here's what happened. A few years ago, some archaeologists stumbled upon some strange relics under tons of layers of Antarctic ice and snow, that were thousands of years old, yet appeared to be of some alien supreme technology. After months of digging around that area, they uncovered something very peculiar. It looked like an enormous ring, made of some strange metal and covered in weird markings all over it, that very much resemble some ancient hieroglyphic symbols. Later, after tinkering with it for a good while, gathering data, deciphering, and cross-referencing with a centuries-old circulating legend, they were finally able to figure out what it was. It turned out to be a stargate portal that supposedly leads to an ancient mythical city of untold riches, wealth, and technology. Soon after, they figured how to activate the gate, and about a year ago, a very first group of explorers set foot into this mythical city. Naturally, everyone assumed that Atlantis, if exists, is somewhere on earth, in some still unexplored part of the planet, but it actually turned out to be somewhere either in space, or a whole different dimension. The Stargate turned out to be a hyper-traveling teleportation device that creates an artificial wormhole, with preset coordinates that lead straight inside the Atlantis city. How that works, the scientists have discovered, is in a very similar way to a telephone. Each stargate has a dial, and it's own unique code. In order to activate the stargate in a place where you want to go, you need to dial up the code of that stargate. But the one on earth had no dial, and only one-way code programmed in it. A code to the Stargate inside Atlantis. And Atlantis' Stargate had Earth code dialed on the panel, and left there as if that was the last place whoever dialed it, visited back who knows when. When the first group of Earth scientists that discovered the Stargate, had arrived in the Atlantis, they found it asleep and submerged underwater, protected by a powerful electromagnetic forcefield shield, that kept it from flooding, and any unwanted intruders, with the only way in, is through a stargate that was located on Earth.

⚜️

Stacie stared at the chairman with eyes wide open, listening to his story. She knew of Atlantis, an incredible, magical city that everyone wished to find. She herself even dreamed of it when she was a kid. She read every book about it, they were her favorite stories. And partly responsible for her love for archaeology. Many times, while working on archaeological sites, among those ancient relics, and ruins, she imagined that one day she might discover Atlantis... but that's just it. It was only an imagination. And those were only children's books. She still had a hard time getting it all straight in her head. Her thoughts tangled, and she felt like she's been dreaming this whole time.

-Therefore, we need someone as reliable and capable as you, to be a part of the team stationed in the Atlantis, to assist with learning that incredible city's secrets, history and... everything else it has to offer. - The chairman concluded.

-I am... honored. - Stammered Stacie through her bafflement. - But... why me?... I mean, how did I end up, getting selected for this, of all the capable people?

-The top University you attended and graduated from in DC is under our surveillance. - Replied the chairman. - We observe all the students carefully and choose those who we think are specially gifted... "proteges"... if you may, and select them for special educational programming, in order to train specific workers for secret projects such as this. We then later, bring them on board, when we feel they are ready and can offer us invaluable experience. You have been put through specific programming, within a year of your enrollment have you not, miss Maclay?

-Well... Yes, I have! That was your program?

-Indeed. And you have proved to be the most outstanding student. I have your credentials right here. - He gestured to the laptop on his desk. - You were exceptionally good at solving puzzles and ancient cryptograms, so we started giving you side projects, to translate some of the Atlantis' relics for us. Therefore, this is another reason why we summoned you. You are not aware of this miss Maclay - continued the chairman - but you actually have been a part of this project for a while now. And you have proved yourself to be invaluable, so we decided to bring you on board.

-What?!... Really?! - Stacie blurted out as if stung by an electric shock - I was?! What projects? When?

Her shocked expression was so funny, that the chairman couldn't help himself and gave out a soft laugh.

-Settle down miss Maclay. I will explain everything in a minute. - He got up, and closed the blinds on his windows, then pulled down the projector screen, and started showing her pictures of some relics and artifacts with some sort of writing on them - Do you remember those? - He asked.

-Yes. Those are the artifacts I was asked to analyze and translate by the University! They never told me what those were, or where they were from. They just asked me to do it as if an extra credit project.

-And this? - He pulled up a charted diagram of some strange hieroglyphs with their translation.

-Oh! My diagram! I created it based on the writing of those artifacts. How did it end up here?

-Those are the projects I mentioned earlier. This Diagram of yours serves as a great help back on Atlantis, even now. Thank you for creating it. You really are good at languages. Now, I will have my Secretary walk you through in detail, what is expected of you, the role you play in this project, And how to prepare for it. We are looking forward to cooperating with you.

-Thank you, sir. I am looking forward to being a part of this quest as well, and extremely flattered and honored, to have been selected, out of many, and given this opportunity to be a part of something big. - Stacie shook the chairman's hand with a heart pounding in her chest, and an emotional lump stuck in her throat.

⚜️

"Are you ready, miss?" Asked the driver as he took her luggage from her, and stuffed it into a trunk of a black, small limo. They were going to drive to the government's private airport, where a small jet was waiting for them, that will take her to the secret location of the Stargate, which will almost magically transport her to a whole new world. Stacie was going through all sorts of emotional roller coasters. She felt excited, and nervous, frightened, and exhilarated all at once. Wow! A different part of the world! What's it like out there? What waited there for her? She wondered with anticipation. The chairman mentioned that there are other dwellers too. 

_"This whole thing sounds like some real-life sci-fi adventure! Wormholes, another side of the Universe... other planets and their dwellers... does that mean they're actually aliens? Hmm... I wonder what they look like?"_ Thought Stacie. " _Are they scary and hideous, like the ones you usually see in movies? Or are they really are a little green man with huge black eyes, just like people originally imagined aliens to be?"_ she smiled at the thought. _"I guess I'll find out soon enough."_ She sighed with the slight turning of her stomach, feeling excited and anxious at the same time about what she may discover in that new world.

_*Red line border - Dangerous and untouched by civilization part of the Earth, somewhere in the Amazon rain forests of South America._


	3. INTO THE UNKNOWN

-We are here, miss. - An attendant gently touched her shoulder.

It was about a fifteen-hour flight, and since Stacie didn't get enough sleep the night before, because she was too anxious, she dozed off on the plane.

-Miss, wake up!

Stacie opened her eyes and looked around, still feeling groggy.

-Did we arrive? - She asked the attendant sleepily and lifted her seat back into a sitting position.

-Yes, we're about to land, so please buckle up.

They have arrived at another private airport. This one was even smaller than the one before. Though she had absolutely no idea where she was, the surrounding landscape looked like somewhere in the middle of the desert. 

_"Is this really it?"_ she thought with confusion, looking around as she was led out of the jet and told to wait. " _But there's nothing here!"_

There really was nothing except for a few short airplane lanes and one small control tower. The sun was just about to start setting and hung over the golden hills painting the sky with peach and lavender hues. The air was neither cold nor hot, just that unpleasant temperature, that clung to you making you feel like you're wrapped in saran wrap. 

_"Phew..."_ Exhaled Stacie, peeling away her shirt that was sticking to her body.

-It sure is h... - She started saying to herself when suddenly a strong gust of wind swept all through the airport, accompanied by an obnoxiously loud propelling sound.

She turned away, covering her face protecting it from the stimulated dust cloud. She didn't need to look in order to know what was the cause of this sudden storm arousal, as the deafening chopping sound of the propellers was a dead giveaway. The helicopter had landed on specifically designated landing mark about a hundred yards away from Stacie, and the gust has calmed down a great deal. She slowly looked over and saw a pilot climbing out of its cockpit and in short while made his way towards her.

-Miss Maclay, I presume? - He asked with a slight Australian accent, as he approached her.

-Yes... - She replied a bit timidly.

-Greetings. I am here to deliver you to the safe house of the stargate portal via helicopter. The safe house is in a secret and securely guarded location, so there are no roads leading there.

-Understandable. - Replied Stacie.

-How are you with heights miss? This is different from jet or airplane flying.

-This wouldn't be my first time flying by helicopter sir. - Smiled Stacie - In my line of work, there are places you can't get to by any other mode of transportation but the helicopter. I'm alright with heights.

-Splendid. Shall we be on our way then? You are being expected.

She nodded in reply and followed the pilot to the cockpit of his chopper, while the flight attendant took her luggage to load it up on to the helicopter.

After about another hour or so, they arrived at a peculiar spot, that looked like a very small valley surrounded by sheer cliffs. Again, it seemed like there was nothing there from the above view of the helicopter's windows until the helicopter started to slowly and carefully descend down into that valley. Suddenly a huge, round tunnel burrowed deep into one of the walls of the cliff revealed itself at the very bottom, and about several yards deep inside that tunnel, was a wall with a heavy, metal, garage-like door. The door was opened as soon as the helicopter's engine was cut, and some armed security guards dressed in military uniforms came out to greet them and she was escorted inside.

-Are you miss Anastasia Maclay? - Suddenly she heard from behind almost as soon as she entered.

She turned to see a man, who looked to be about forty years old. He was tall and well fit, with dark hair that had some gray streaks here and there.

-Yes, that's me... - She answered timidly.

-Welcome. - He smiled - It is so good to finally meet you. My name is Arthur James. I'm am the captain of the crew that's currently stationed in the Atlantis. We've been expecting you. This way, please. - And he leads her through some hallways of machinery, all the way to the back of the building.

-I have heard much about you, and your accomplishments and skills in languages. The diagram you have created with Atlantis' hieroglyphs translation has served us very well! On behalf of my entire crew, I would like to thank you for choosing to be a part of the "P.O" project. There is so much to be discovered and learned. We really do need skilled and reliable people like you in this endeavor. - He expressed while they were walking.

Pretty soon, they came to a huge double door of another room, and with a press of a buzzer button, it was opened, and they went in. The room was dim and musky, with metal walls, and heavy machinery all around. In the very center of it, stood a huge round ring. Big enough for a small jet that she was on, to easily fit through. This was the Stargate. Stacie gawked at it from top to bottom in total ave. She has seen many wonders in her line of work, but this was the most magnificent thing she has ever beheld. The captain noticed the unspoken amazement on her face and said with a twinkle in his eyes:

-If you think this is cool, wait till you see the city itself. It's incredible! Dial it up, boys! - He commanded some workers at control panels.

The inner outline of the ring lit up and with a very loud tornado-like swishing sound that startled Stacie, a glowing and twisting distortion appeared right in the middle opening of the ring.

-Alright, miss Maclay, this is it. A whole new life awaits you on the other side of this portal. Are you ready? - He stepped on to the platform on which the Stargate was positioned, and extended his hand to her.

She stared at the bluish, hypnotizing swirling light, that looked like a glowing whirlpool straight from some strange-magic fantasy world, and send off a strong breeze into the room with a loud sound. For a moment, she froze on a spot with a twisting feeling in her stomach as she realized that she didn't get herself mentally prepared for something like this.

-Don't be afraid. - Reassured her captain - It's perfectly safe.

 _"Safety isn't what I'm worried about..."_ Thought Stacie, and took a deep breath. 

Feeling as nervous as getting on a scary roller coaster ride for the first time, she slowly took the captain's hand stepping on to the platform as well. The next thing that happened, felt like it was a dream. As soon as they came close to the portal, she felt a strong, yet gentle pulling. Then she felt a strange sensation of faintness as if she was dissolving into a thin air when the captain pulled her after himself into the portal. For a moment, it seemed like she's been swept up into a strong current, and everything around her started to spin in a mind-twisting blur. Suddenly, as if waking up from some dream, the next thing she knew, she was standing in the middle of a huge round, brightly lit room, with strange designs and decorations everywhere. She blinked at the bright light. Trying to comprehend what just happened, she looked all around the room with her mouth drop open. This was definitely not a gloomy and humid, underground safe house anymore. Then suddenly she felt the blood drain from her face. A pass through the portal made her feel dizzy and faint. For a brief moment, she couldn't come back to her senses. Everything around her was spinning and she swayed, losing her balance.

-Miss Anastasia Maclay, welcome to Atlantis! - Announced captain, supporting her by her arm. - Got a little lightheaded there huh? It always happens to the first-time passers. But don't worry, you'll get used to it. Tony, please take miss Maclay to the infirmary. - Then he turned to Stacie again. - I'll need to see you in my office when you feel better and got settled. There are quite a few things we must discuss. But for now, get some rest.

Stacie just nodded in return, holding on to her twisting stomach, feeling very nauseous, as a young man that the captain referred to as Tony, took Stacie's arm and with "This way miss" led her towards a large beautiful lift*, that was right next to the equally exquisite grand staircase. Then the captain ordered another man to take her luggage to where she will be staying.

⚜️

-Hey Janice, you got a new patient. - Announced Tony, as the beautiful, rounded double door of one of the rooms on the second floor slid open.

This must be the infirmary, guessed Stacie entering it along with the young man. The inside of the infirmary was equipped pretty much like any other she's seen before, with hospital tech-gadgets, several roll-away beds with separation curtains and screens with IVY. stands. At the entrance of it, there were few couches and a couple of small tables with paperwork and some books on them, must be awaiting spot, she assumed. There was a desk on the other side of the room, and several tall cabinets containing medical supplies.

-Is that so? - Replied a beautiful, dark-skinned woman at the desk in a white lab robe, who seemed to be in her mid-thirties - Oh hello there, you really are new! - She exclaimed with surprise, after glancing up at Stacie - Never seen you before!

-She just arrived today. - Replied Tony.

-Oh, welcome! - She grinned, revealing perfectly straight, pearly white teeth, extending her hand to Stacie - It's been a while since they brought new faces to the Atlantis. I'm dr. Janice Kingly.

-Stacie... Maclay. - Stacie shook her hand.

-Nice to meet you, Stacie. Let me guess, nausea?

-Yeah... how did you know? - Replied Stacie with surprise.

-Tony said you got here today, right? That means you had to cross through the portal, which makes almost everyone a bit sick at first. Including myself. - Laughed Janice - Plus, the color of your face tells me so.

-Oh... heh, I see... - Stacie let out a weak laugh - Well, good to know it's not just me.

-You bet! - Winked Janice - No worries, we'll fix you right up in no time. Have a seat. - She pointed to a spare chair next to her desk.

And she got up to get Stacie the remedy for nausea. She poured some cold water into a cup and dropped a large pill into it, which fizzled away in minutes.

-There, drink this and you'll be all good.

Stacie took a careful sip of the elixir. It had a strong flavor of ginger mixed with citrus and something sweet, and pretty much tasted like some sort of soft drink. She quite liked it.

-What is this? - Asked Stacie, after a mouthful gulp. - It's tasty. I never had a tasty medicine before. - She laughed.

-Oh, it's just a "fizelixer" in a pill form. - She handed Stacie the package.

-Morning sickness? - Stacie gave her a quizzical look. - For pregnant women...

-Sure! - Chirped Janice with a laugh - I found this works best for "cross over" nausea. It's loaded with B6, magnesium, and folate. Clears the turning in the stomach in minutes. Aren't you feeling better already?

-Erm... yeah... actually, I do... - Replied Stacie, pressing her hand to her stomach, as if she just noticed the improvement.

-There you go then. - Winked Janice again.

-You give this to _everyone_?

-Uhuh.

-Including _guys_... - She cocked one eyebrow.

-Yup.

-Can't imagine the looks on their faces... - Scoffed Stacie.

-Hah, well, they never ask about it. - Laughed Janice in reply - They just come for a quick fix, and they don't care what it is, as long as it works.

-Hah, makes sense.

-So, Stacie, tell me about yourself. What crime did _you_ commit, to be exiled to this part of the world? - She turned to her patient, after putting the remedy away.

-Well, I... - She started, not really knowing how to answer since she still wasn't sure what's her roll in this project exactly.

-What's your specialty? - Helped her Janice.

-Linguistics. That, and I worked in the archeological field back home.

-Ah, I see. So, your good with languages? We need people like that here. Lack of communication is tough in this world. I guess you'll be the translator. Am I right?

-I'm... not sure. I wasn't told exactly, what I'll be doing here yet.

-Oh, so you haven't been briefed yet.

-No, I'm supposed to meet up with the captain later today, after I get some rest.

-Oh, why didn't you say so? You must be exhausted after your trip here! Where are you from?

-Boston.

-Boston?! Hey! Me too! - Beamed Janice. - Wow! You're the first person from the same state as me here. That's awesome! Well, don't let me keep you. Go get some rest and don't forget to get some food as well. The dining hall is on this same floor down the main hall to your right. You can't miss it, it's huge! And you have got to try Mr. Stephen's cooking. He's the best.

-Thanks. - Smiled Stacie.

-No problem. I'll page Tony to show you to your room.

-Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Janice. - Stacie got up to leave.

-Likewise. - Replied the doctor.

 _"She was nice."_ thought Stacie to herself, after the door closed behind her.

⚜️

Later, when she felt much better, she was shown to the quarters, where she was supposed to be staying. Her room, just like the rest of the city, was gorgeous. It was a complete living area, that resembled either a penthouse of some fancy resort hotel or a luxurious apartment. With one bedroom, bathroom, and little living room, a small working corner with a desk and bookcases. She loved it. It was brightly lit by huge windows that stretched from the floor all the way to the ceiling. One of the walls had a little, personal, fully furnished balcony, with the view of the sea.

The city itself resembled a huge, floating on water castle, or several of them fused together, to form an urban-like domain. Naturally, Stacie was immediately fascinated by it and burned with excitement and intense desire to explore every bit of it, however long it may take, because of its magnitude. And now that she was here, she could see herself living here for a while, without looking back at her previous life.

This was the beginning of the most amazing adventure of her lifetime.

_*Lift - Elevator._

__

_**Janice Kingly** _


	4. ATLANTIS

After she unpacked and rested for a bit, she met up with the captain in the chamber he was using for headquarters or a conference room.

-Miss Macklay, this is Melinda Bay, commanding officer of our military tactics here, Alice Park our main shuttle pilot. Tony Caruso that you met earlier today and Frank Traversi our weaponry specialists. - He introduced her to a few other crew members that gathered for a meeting.

Melinda was an athletic woman who seemed to be the same age as Janice, with blond, curly hair and hazel eyes. Alice was also athletic looking, she was Asian descent, with short a-line haircut that was dyed amber color, and looked like she was about Stacie's age. Tony was the guy who took her to the infirmary. He was a good looking young man, either Latino or black and white mix, she couldn't tell. She noticed he had a striking, the most unique golden eye color. And Frank was an obvious stud, with a very built body, nice beach-ready tan, dark wild hair and piercing platinum-gray eyes and spoke with an Italian accent. 

_"Dang... He's hot..."_ thought Stacie, as she felt a slight flutter in her chest when their eyes met.

-Hello. - Replied Stacie - It's a pleasure to be working with you all from now on.

-Likewise. - Replied Alice, with a warm smile.

-Choose a seat, Miss Maclay. Anywhere. - He pointed to a row of empty chairs at a long "s" shaped table - We have gathered here for a meeting to discuss their upcoming expedition to the island, and I thought it'd be perfect timing for you to learn a little about this place. - Said captain, taking a seat at the head of the table.

He turned on a peculiar-looking device that was in front of him, and it flickered to life with bluish light. 

_"That's definitely not our technology!"_ thought Stacie with eyes wide, as a three-dimensional, holographic image appeared above it. 

The image showed a certain solar system.

-This is where we are right now. - Explained Captain - We call it the "Pegasus Galaxy". Hence the name; "Pegasus Operation". See this planet? - He showed to a very small planet that was maybe slightly bigger than Earth's moon and had two tiny moons of its own. The planet was in a perfect distance from the sun, which would be ideal for a life support environment. - This planet is called Asuris. - He enlarged it for a better view - As you can see, it is completely covered with water. And it's all fresh. It has only one continent. Here it is. - He rotated the image to show Stacie the land - It's no bigger than Taxes state, so we just call it Island. And this planet is the home of Atlantis. Yes, this is where we are right now. According to the local dwellers of this part of the universe, long ago, this planet was occupied by an ancient race of people, that was far superior even than the mighty _Satterans_. - Explained captain - They possessed the ultimate knowledge, and intellect and their technology were most advanced and very powerful. Locals refer to them as the _"transcendent beings"_. They were the ones who build the stargates and installed them throughout the Pegasus galaxy for easy travel between their planets. Since no one knows what to call them for sure, we refer to them as the "ancients".

-I see. And who are "Satterans" sir? - Asked Stacie curiously.

-Satterans, are the most powerful and superior race that dwells in this galaxy today. They are the most advanced in technology and weapons. And they are after the Atlantis as well.

-Are they a threat to us?

-Well, they are stuck up, arrogant and superior in every way, and look down on us, but they're not our enemy. - Replied Melinda.

-We are working with them. - Added Alice - Turns out, in this galaxy, everyone knew about Atlantis, and many were after it. But Satterans were the only ones to actually find it, but they couldn't get inside, since the only way in, is through a stargate portal, that we have on earth.

-Yeah, so, they made a deal with us. - Tony put in - They will provide us with protection, and their military expertise, since our own is not a match for this part of the universe, and we will share with them all Atlantis's data that we would uncover here. I think it's a pretty good deal. We can't afford to be exposed out here, and to have a powerful race such as them, turn on us.

-I don't like it. - Said Frank - I don't trust those aliens. Who knows what they're plotting behind our backs.

-Neither do I. - Said Melinda - But Tony's right. There's not much of a choice for us if we want to keep our heads attached to our bodies. We better off cooperating with them then go against them. Even if we bring earth's entire military force from every country in every part of our planet, we'd still be no match even for any other civilization out here, let alone those guys. So, as you can see, our hands are pretty much tied.

-Well, so far, they haven't shown any signs of hostility towards us. All they do for now, just observe us, and everything we do here.

-Even if it is a very condescending observation. - Retorted Frank folding his arms, and kicking back on his chair.

-How do you guys communicate with them? - Asked Stacie curiously - Do you use some sort of translating device? Or is there an interpreter here?

-Well... By now, they can speak English. - Replied captain.

-They can? - Stacie's eyes flickered with surprise.

-Yeah, they learned it pretty quickly. It was creepy how fast they picked up on our language. - Said Tony.

-What, all of them?

-No, just a few that's been around us most of the time. But before that, they were using some strange earpieces that were some sort of... universal translators.

-That's incredible. - Replied Stacie - They are THAT intelligent, huh?

-Oh yeah! They are pretty scary alright. - Said Alice jokingly - I would advise you to stay out of their way if you happen to run into them around here.

-Are there many of them here? - Asked Stacie, wondering if she'd be crossing any of them in the hallways. She now was really curious about them.

-None of the Satterans are staying here. - Replied captain. They just leave us to ourselves most of the time and come by to check on us every few days. However, there's one of their spaceships stationed practically above our heads, as protection from roaming rogues, outcast drifters, we call them pirates that threaten us here.

-But I was told that this city is protected by its electro-magnetic forcefield. - She looked at the captain questionably.

-It was. - Captain replied - But the forcefield was burning up far too much of its power, and since Atlantis wasn't fueled for many hundreds of years, it's running on its last bit. We had to disable it, to preserve the power. It lasted a year so far, but who knows how much longer we have left. So, we are desperately searching for any information on how to fuel the city. We already starting to experience slight fluctuations here and there.

-What happens, if the power burns out completely?

-The city will sink. - Answered Melinda.

-Oooh!... - Exclaimed Stacie with concern.

-So you see miss Maclay, with your skills in deciphering and translation, we're hoping you'll be able to help us with that.

-I'll do my very best sir. How much have you found so far?

-Not much, really... - Alice started to say.

-Nothing. - Frank interrupted her - In a whole year we've been here, we found absolutely NADA in this forsaken place.

-What do you mean? - Asked Stacie with surprise, shifting confused glances between Frank, Alice, and Captain.

-There's no treasure. No data, records, weapons, nothing. Anything of value, or that contains any sort of information, is gone.

-Oh, I see. Do you think that all that property has already been taken by someone?

-Can't have been. - Replied Melinda - This city was hidden underwater, with a forcefield protecting it, so there was no way an intruder could get in.

-Actually, we suspect that the ancients themselves gathered it all, and hid it somewhere so that it won't get into the wrong hands, in case their city did get invaded. Think of it, they developed the most powerful weapons and all sorts of experiments. If any of that stuff falls into the hands of someone who has bad intentions, what do you think will happen? - Said Tony.

-Well, kind of makes sense. So, what do you think happened to those people?

-We don't know for sure, but according to the records in the archives located on the Navoy planet, the theory is, that they were working on some kind of very dangerous experiment, and it didn't go so well. It backfired and became a great threat as a result. So they tried to stop it before it became a threat to other civilizations as well, but it was too much for them to handle. They did manage to bring it under control but at a great cost. It cost them half of their own population, and left them completely defenseless and exposed. So, suddenly, they vanished from the face of their universe, along with the city. Locals are puzzled to this day what happened to them, but we found clues indicating they fled to Earth through the Stargate.

-Our planet Sir? But how did they find it?

-Well, they were the first space explorers. So it's possible that they discovered earth on one of their space voyages, several hundreds of years ago. And since no one else knew about the earth in their part of the universe, they build a stargate there and evacuated the city. There on earth, they spread out and blended with humans. Most likely, they looked very much like us, so no one suspected a thing. That's why the appearance of unknown beings, have never been recorded in our history, besides the circulating legend of a mythical city. Which they most likely started themselves, in order to keep their origin alive somehow. Our planet was probably around the medieval era when this happened if not earlier, cause that's how far back the stargate that's there, dates. - Explained Captain - But before they left, they installed and activated a protective forcefield over the city to keep any living thing, and water out, and submerged it under the sea in order to hide it from sight. When we came on board, we activated Atlantis's main power source, and the city resurfaced again. So you see, we are completely out in the open, with no forcefield, and no means of protection, we're pretty much-sitting ducks out here.

-But as you have said, those Satterans are protecting us. Right?

-Are they? - Replied Frank skeptically - How can we be sure they are not just using us to gain access to Atlantis? And how can we be sure they won't decide to get rid of us at any given moment? That's why we need to lay low and play the part of a useful henchman until we figure out how to power the city, and reactivate the forcefield. That's our only strategy right now.

-Anyway, we need to discuss the trip. - Said the captain, changing the subject - You don't have to stay for this part miss Maclay, so you are dismissed and free to go familiarize yourself with the base and the rest of the crew.

-Thank you, captain. - Replied Stacie, getting up from her spot - It was an honor getting to know you all.

-And you too. - Answered Alice - See you around. - She saluted her with a wink.

_**Alice Park** _


	5. SATTERANS

Almost a month has passed now since Stacie's involvement in the Atlantis. She had a chance to really familiarize herself with the project, their base, and the crew. But she still hasn't seen even a single Satteran as of yet because they came to the Atlantis scarcely. Having never seen an alien before, and believing them to be just a figment of the science fiction world, Stacie was dying of curiosity as to what they looked like. At the same time, she felt really nervous, almost afraid even, about the possibility of accidentally running into them by chance, considering how everyone here talked about them. She learned from the others, that there are three specific persons that usually pay them a visit to keep tabs on the Atlantis. She also found out that one of the three was an heir to the throne of the Sattera. 

_"How cool!"_ She thought to herself. _"It's a bit strange though, to be in a realm where a monarchy is still a thing."_ Now she really wanted to see them even more. 

What would an alien prince look like, she wondered. They already visited Atlantis twice, during her stay. But each time she missed them because she was either busy with her assignment, or exploring somewhere in the city. 

One time, however, she did manage to catch a glimpse of them from a distance, when they were leaving the base. She knew right away which one was the prince because he was slightly ahead and the other two were few steps behind him, and there was a silver glint of a thin circlet around his head. And she also noticed that one of the two escorts was a woman. She'd only seen them from a far distance, and for a second, so she couldn't really get a good look at them, but she did notice that they looked very much like humans, only carrying themselves with authority. And were dressed like some warrior-characters from some kind of sci-fi movie. Even from a distance, the sight of these supreme-looking beings was so overwhelmingly strange, that she could just feel the fierce air surrounding them reaching all the way to her, sending a shiver of goosebumps down her entire body.

⚜️

-Hey, I was wondering... - Stacie asked Alice once, as she was helping her with some manual translation.

-Yeah? - Said Alice.

-Why would a prince himself come to collect reports on our progress here? Wouldn't it make more sense to sent people to do that for him?

-It's more than that. - Replied Alice. - He actually is an ambassador, representing his race. And according to Satterans, it's one of the customary responsibilities of the next governor in training. 

-And his companions? - Said Stacie. - They're his security escorts, I take it?

-Yeah. And those particular two are also in training to undertake positions as his political advisors when he assumes the crown. - Answered Alice.

-It is strange though, that an heir to the throne is accompanied by just two guards. You would think a member of the royal family would be followed around by an entire armada of bodyguards. I mean, at least that's how it is with the royals on earth. - Expressed Stacie. 

-Hah! It's because you don't know Satterans, yet! - Laughed Alice. - Our earth's entire armada of royal guards doesn't stand a chance against those three alone! We are "not in Kansas" anymore, as they say. - She added, making her laugh. - So, strap your Toto in, Dorothy, and brace yourself for a life in a whole new dimension.

-I still can't get used to this whole thing, even after a month of being here. - Said Stacie. - I still can't believe I'm on a different planet, where actual aliens exist. This whole experience is so... surreal.

-Oh, I feel ya. - Agreed Alice. - I have been here a year, and I still feel the same from time to time. 

-You know, I've only caught a glimpse of those aliens from a distance, but they don't look anything like the ones you see in StarWars or Star Treck. Or any of the other movies for that matter.

-No, they don't. But then, when those movies were invented, we didn't even know what aliens look like, because we weren't even aware of their existence. 

-True that. Are they... you know, decent looking? - Stacie curiously glanced at Alice. - I couldn't really see them well from afar.

-Decent? - Alice raised one eyebrow at Stacie. - They are downright the hottest creatures, I have ever laid my eyes on. 

-They don't look like "creatures." - Said Stacie. - They seemed pretty human to me, from what I could tell,

-It's a figure of speech. - Replied Alice. - You know what I mean.

-I'm just teasing you. - Replied Stacie.

Satterans pretty much were humans, with some differences. The main difference is that they were a little bit taller and maybe about ten times physically stronger than an average human. Their senses, such as sight, hearing, smell and agility were also incredibly heightened. The biological traits for which you can recognize Satterans, are the unusual color of their eyes and hair. Their eyes ranged in variations colors from sapphire-blues, charry-reds, emerald-greens to amethyst. And their hair is usually jet-black for the most part, but sometimes you can come across shades either on more of a blue or purple side. Depending on how light it gets. Their skin color is slightly darker than an average Caucasian human. Maybe even closer to the ethnic groups in the middle east. With very little health issues known to them, Satterans aged at a normal pace and lived just a few years longer than humans. One unique trait about them- an amethyst hair or eye color is actually a rarity in Satteran genealogy and are highly valued. Those who inherited either purple hair or eyes usually had the sharpest senses. 

⚜️

Contrary to earthlings' first presumptions, Satterans actually are not aggressive, unlike most. Though superior in every way, very proud, and think very highly of themselves, they are usually not the kind to start conflicts. But when they are involved in one, no one stands a chance against them. And everyone in that galaxy knew that, so no one dared to defy them, and regarded Satterans with exaltation. 

Even so, that race wasn't particularly interested in seeking the ultimate dominance over the world, though they were more than capable. At least not the current governor of Sattera. They usually kept to themselves, living as discreetly as they could, and meddling as little as possible, they never took an unnecessary interest in others' affairs. They preferred to stay out of wars and take no part in any conflict if it didn't involve them, or came close to home. Making alliances only when it suited them, and deals when it benefited them. Their planet was the largest in the galaxy, and the richest in natural resources. It was the only planet in the entire universe, where poverty is nonexistent. Their society divided into clans and ranks and was governed by a monarchy. They've managed to build the greatest civilized empire, since Atlantis. 

Atlantis was a long lost most precious pearl of that galaxy, for which almost the entire world of that part of the Universe was searching. There were even wars breaking out constantly, as many nations fought over it until Satterans stepped in and the conflicts have ceased as the fear before this supreme race forced everyone to make way for them. But that doesn't mean everyone surrendered. Some harbored secret resent towards them. 

Satterans searched for Atlantis for quite some time, before they discovered it on the Asuris planet, submerged underwater. And for quite a while, they were trying to figure out how to get inside the city without flooding it, which will happen if they were to break through the forcefield. They couldn't use the stargate on their planet to get inside the Atlantis, because they didn't have the code. As they were trying to come up with a way to get inside that city, something strange happened. The stargate portal inside Atlantis activated on its own, and some strange people stepped inside. At first, Satterans thought that the descendants of the original dwellers of the city had returned to it but after observing them for a bit, they learned that those people were some primitive race from a whole different part of the Universe, who uncovered one of the stargates on their planet and ended up inside Atlantis simply by chance. After learning more about those people and finding out that, though quite primitive, yet civilized and a peaceful race, who was more of explorers and scientists rather than warriors, Satterans decided to use this situation to their advantage. And so they made a deal with earthlings, offering them their superior military expertise, and protection, while earthlings dig into the Atlantis's secrets and share all their findings with them. A proposition from which both sides will benefit and which the earthlings couldn't refuse. And so that's how an alliance between the royal race of Satterans and "primitive, weak earthlings" began.


	6. FIRST IMPRESSIONS

**IVAR O'RELL** _Proud and stern. Likes to keep to himself. Doesn't like weaklings and has very high expectations of anyone he considers letting close to him._ _Specializes in archery. Likes to take long, lonely strolls._

⚜️

Today was another boring, uneventful day for Stacie. She's been stuck at the dining hall for the past three days now and hated every minute of it. Besides the work by her specialty, Stacie was also given a side job. She was stationed to work at the dining hall for the time being. A first job that was given on Atlantis to every newbie. Since, besides the chef they didn't have a hired help, all crew members were responsible for taking on different chores and maintenance, which were scheduled and rotated by turns. 

All-day she's been running around serving drinks, brewing coffee, passing around plates and picking up empty dishes. 

_"Good thing at least we have that industrial dishwasher because I absolutely hate this ordeal!!"_ Thought Stacie, as she prepared empty dining ware for its bath. 

She wasn't alone helping Mr. Stephen with food prep, there was one other person, whose shift had ended much earlier than Stacie's and it was her turn to clean up the dining hall after dinner.

⚜️

The long and tiring day was slowly shifting to its end, and the dining hall was finally starting to look emptier and emptier. Tired by now, she finally had a chance to sit down for a bit at the bar counter. Stacie plopped her head on the top of the counter, cushioned by her folded arms, and watched the espresso machine brewing a new batch of black coffee for the night owls that might pop in last minute demanding it. She couldn't wait for her shift would be over soon, so that she can get back to working on that one stone shard with some ancient writing on it, which Melinda's group found on their recent expedition to the island. The intoxicating aroma had filled the air around her and the intense craving for some of that energy as well, hit her hard. She pulled out a large mug and poured some. 

" _Ahhh!"_ Ahe let out a long sigh. " _Best part of this day so far!_ " She inhaled the sweet steam, as she gripped a hot cup with both hands, bringing it closer to her lips. _"I know it's rather late for coffee, but I myself might end up working on that shard probably all night at this point..."_ she sighed hopelessly. _"Why on earth did captain put me on the evening shift here, when he wanted me to get that thing translated as soon as possible, since it may contain some critical info, as he said so himself."_ She mumbled to herself frustratingly.

As she sat there, sipping her coffee, absentmindedly watching the room become barer and barer, she noticed a tall, stern-looking figure suddenly walk into the dining hall, dressed in deep blue, that it seemed almost black from a distance, snugly fitted to the body warlord-like outfit. The looks of which resembled a futuristic ninja, or assassin of some sort. The stranger made his way to the furthest side of the hall, sat at one of the empty tables, and absentmindedly stared out the large window. Stacie was hit with a shock-wave of realization as she followed him with her eyes. 

_"Hey, that's a..."_ She froze to the counter suddenly forgetting all about being tired and her coffee. 

The stranger's appearance was so striking and majestic, that it would be hard not to notice him, and yet to Stacie's astonishment, only some of the few remaining crews members there, turned to glance at him, and others didn't pay him any attention. At the back of her mind, she knew it must be because everyone around here was used to seeing Satterans by now. And yet still, she couldn't help her surprise at their passive reaction. 

_"So that's what the aliens here look like..."_ Thought Stacie, gawking at him with a mouth drop open. _"Yeah, totally nothing in common with Earth's depiction of them. Especially the little green man version."_ She chuckled to herself as she pictured a short, naked green creature, with a large head and black eyes standing next to this tall and majestic specimen. _"Alice's right..._ _That is one heck of a good looking alien!_ _And here I thought Frank Traversi was hot!"_

This man had tall, well-built stature, perfectly fit but not overly muscular. With a raven, silky hair that gave out a bluish luster when light hits it. Stacie gazed at him for a good few minutes. 

_"Why's he in a dining hall?"_ Wondered Stacie, as she recalled how unsocial they are, according to everyone around. 

Everyone said that their visits are strictly business, and they never mingle, spending most of their time in the headquarters with the captain.

 _"So, what brings him into the most packed with people..."_ She looked around the room and realized it literally was empty now, and the only guest remaining was the Satteran stranger. _"...Oh... Never mind."_

She was so distracted by him, that she didn't even notice everyone vacate the dining hall one by one, leaving her alone with the alien. And Mr. Stephen, who was busy, bustling around in the kitchen. 

_"Oh! I'm such a..."_ Suddenly she gasped smacking herself on the forehead. _"Maybe he's hungry, and is waiting to be served! And here I am, sitting around and just gawking at him like a total dolt."_ She sprung up to her feet, made few steps and... stopped for some odd reason, feeling how her heart suddenly skipped a beat, remembering Alice's advice. _" But... Everyone seems to be so wary of them. Are they really that scary?"_ She thought to herself with hesitation, unsure of what to do at this point.

As she stared in his direction, for a moment, sitting there, in that remote corner, she thought he seemed rather lonely and somewhat sad even. That puzzled her... was it just her imagination? She deliberated for a moment, trying to decide whether to come up to him or not. 

_"I guess I best go check on him anyway, just in case. The worst that can happen at this point, is him saying no. It's not like he's gonna incinerate me or anything, so what the heck am I so afraid of..."_ She made up her mind, and with a deep breath, started to make her way to the beautiful stranger's side. 

She stopped a couple of feet away from his table and felt how her heart was starting to race. Up close he looked even more dazzling and looking at his perfect face so close, she felt her heart thump and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Suddenly all her courage ran for cover, and she froze on a spot, feeling all tongue-tied. Though he knew she was standing there, he did not pay her any attention and just continued to stare out the window. After a moment of hesitation, she somehow gathered her thoughts and introduced herself.

-Hi.., I'm Stacie... I'm on catering duty today... Is there anything you'd like for me to get you?... - She asked timidly.

He slowly turned away from the window and scanned Stacie from head to toe with a long, careful, cold glance and Stacie felt a chill run down her spine. As soon as their eyes met, her gaze got lost in his amethyst eyes and she froze up, staring into their depth. The unusual color of his eyes caught her completely off guard. She's never seen purple eyes before, and it was hard to believe they were real. They stared at each other like that for what seemed like forever to Stacie, and his silent, grim expression was starting to make her feel a bit uncomfortable and for a second, she thought he couldn't understand her.

-You must be new around here. - He finally said turning back to his window, jolting Stacie out of that hypnotic trance of his gaze, nearly making her jump.

 _"Oh, wow... he really can speak our language!"_ She thought with surprise. "A _nd so perfectly too, though with a slight accent."_

-Heh... is it really that obvious? - She gave out a nervous laugh, trying to ease the awkwardness that was starting to slowly creep into the air around them.

-Yes. Quite. - He replied rather sharply without looking at her.

His reluctance was starting to make Stacie feel uneasy, and she wondered if maybe it wasn't such a good idea to start a conversation with him after all. But then he neither answer her question nor refused her services, so she was a bit confused and it felt awkward to just walk away without clarifying it first.

-Sooo... um... is there anything you want to eat... or drink maybe? - She asked again.

-Absolutely not! - He snapped - I don't have much of a taste for anything that's of the earthlings.

Wide-eyed and taken aback, she blinked, staring at him with a stun.

-I... get the feeling, you're not the biggest fan of the earthlings... - she said, with a nervous smile.

-Your feeling is correct. - He coldly replied.

-What's... wrong with being an "earthling"?... - She looked at him with confusion, genuinely struggling to understand their disdain towards people, who are willingly cooperating with them. 

-What's wrong with being an earthling... - He scoffed - Take a really good look at your selves. Your level of advancement, technology, and strength. Your kind is Primitive and weak. You don't even realize how inferior you are. - Was all that he said to that, annoyed and unwilling to engage in small talk.

-Is... that all?... Simply because we're technologically not as advanced, and physically much weaker than you? And that's... bad? Enough to hate us? Just for that...? - She summed up with surprise, after expecting more solid reasoning, like they stole something from them, or concealed somethings... But her crew shared every bit of finding on Atlantis with them, and the captain held them in highest of regards from the way he referred to Satterans.

Her response caught him slightly off guard. Getting pretty familiarized with those transparent earthlings in the past year, and learning their quite simple language, he fully expected a different kind of reply. Just like all the rest who considered themselves also "brave" enough to stand up to him before, he thought she, too, will protest and start arguing with him, especially since she is new here, and knows nothing yet. Then it would be easy for him to diminish her confidence by pointing out all their incompatibilities, making her walk away in total defeat, realizing her own insignificance. Just like he's done it to many others. But to his surprise, she didn't deny it. And actually agreed with him! 

_"That's a first..."_ he thought with astonishment _"A first inferior to admit to their faults..."._ He looked at her with a puzzled expression.

-I may be new here, but I'm not ignorant, you know. - She said, reading his thought process written in his quizzical expression like an open book. It really wasn't hard to figure what type of reaction he was expecting from her. - I am well aware of our vulnerability in comparison to your mighty kind. - She admitted honestly - But, why, in your opinion, is it so bad to be the weaker one? - She demanded an answer.

Suddenly all that nervousness of hers was replaced with a strong drive for justice influenced by her upbringing, and her "defense" mode automatically kicked in. Perhaps it wasn't the wisest strategies of hers to challenge a powerful being at who's mercy her entire team was in this part of the world, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that, but she was too determined sometimes, to listen to that tiny voice of reason. Unfortunately...

Her plainness stunned him, and he was trying to collect his thoughts. Did she just... see right through him and figure what was on his mind? Now he was genuinely astounded. She pretty much solved him like a puzzle. Who is this girl? How is it that she's not afraid of him? Does she even realize who she's talking too? She is just a puny earthling female! How could she dare to challenge him like that?! He frowned and said in a cold and ascetic tone, trying to intimidate her;

-This is a tough world, little girl. Yes, you are ignorant. You must have been quite sheltered all your life. In this world, survive and prosper only those who are strong enough and worthy. Weaklings are nothing but a hindrance. A nuisance. They just get in the way. Does that answer your question?

Mind-blown, she blinked, trying to process his words. The Satteran smirked a little, seeing how stumped she was at that moment, continuing to stare her down with a very smug expression.

-Go back home, little girl. To your cozy life. This is no place for you. This is no place for any inferior at all.

-What makes you think, I had a sheltered life? - That remark of his struck at her still aching scars. - One glance, and you think you got me all figured out. You know, I can do that too. Prejudge someone based on first impressions, and I don't even have to be superior to possess that kind of ability.

-One glance is enough to see that you are even more feeble than the rest of your kind here. At least some of them have some sort of combat training, and you have absolutely none. No, you haven't even seen a battlefield in your life. Am I wrong? - He sneeringly scanned her from head to toe.

-No. You're right. I haven't. And I suppose it is obvious. But... - Suddenly she paused. - Wait!... How did you manage to twist this conversation out, to make it about me? I wasn't trying to prove anything here. Especially when I know I don't stand a chance against you.

 _"Wow, she caught on pretty fast!"_ He noted, taken aback by her timely slip from his provoking attempt. _"Smart girl. And very peculiar too... Especially given how she's addressing me... As if I were her equal."_

He studied her with genuine curiosity. She had a quite petite physique. Delicate, youthful facial features with fair skin adorned with tiny specs* around her cheekbones and nose that made her face seemed almost child-like. Framed with soft-looking, light-brownish hair that was pulled into a messy side tail and fell a little past her shoulder in light curls. Her eyes, he had to admit to himself, were quite captivating. They were the color of clear sky and sparkled of genuine sincerity. She looked like she was far too young and yet spoke in such a decidedly mature way. Far too mature for her youthful appearance. This puzzled him. Though he never cared to pay close enough attention to earthlings in order to learn their individual characteristics, yet somehow, he couldn't help but get this strange feeling, that this particular girl is unlike any other earthling here. She was surrounded by this... air of enigma...

-Then why did you start this pointless conversation? - He replied with more intrigue than a desire to bring an end to it.

-I had no intention of starting anything... - She answered defensively - I was simply trying to do my job of being a good host. This is a dining hall, in case you didn't notice. People come in here for the food.

-And I said, very clearly, I do not care for your food. But you demanded to know why, instead of just leaving it at that. - He scoffed, giving her a mocking look.

-See, again! You are twisting it. I didn't demand to know why you hate our food. You probably never even tried it, to begin with. I simply wanted to know why you guys, hate us so much. And it looks like you can't give me even one good reason.

-I clarified that as well.

-Oh right, it's because you find us primitive. - She shook her head sarcastically - Yes. You're right. We are a much weaker race, there's no denying that. But, we're not entirely as weak and useless, as you may suggest. That's one. And two; you have the advantage in this "tough" world because you were lucky enough to be born into a superior race. But that doesn't give you an automatic right to dismiss those who weren't so fortunate with their heritage, because in case you didn't realize this, we don't get to _choose_ what we're born as, you know. It is something that can not be helped. I didn't ask to be born an earthling, as much as you didn't ask to be born a Satteran. That's one thing we have in common for a fact. Well, whether you like it or not, you are what you are, and at the end of the day, you have to take what you've got and, make the best of it, for better or for worse. Win or lose, the true fulfillment comes from knowing that you gave it your very best shot. And that's exactly what we're doing here. Giving our best shot. And thanks to that, you guys were able to gain easy access to Atlantis, am I wrong? - She paused for a moment, looking at him with conviction. - So you see, not entirely useless. Therefore, don't go around misjudging even the smallest of creatures. You never know what may come to your aid at most desperate of times. Superior or inferior, we all depend on each other one way or another. - She concluded

He was at a total loss for words. It was hard to even pretend to be unimpressed at this point. There was nothing he could say. Even he knew that much was true. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. The Satterans did benefit from the alliance with the earthlings. Though they offered earthlings protection in this unknown to them and a hostile environment in exchange for information, they didn't have to do very much, because their intergalactic region was in the middle of peaceful time. The only posing threats were the pirates, a rogue group of alien outcasts who roamed the space in their spaceships and caused menace here and there. And sometimes the native inhabitants of the surrounding planets they ventured out into for exploring and supply gathering. That job was very easy for Satterans. But other than that, earthlings practically gift-wrapped them with everything they learned and uncovered on the Atlantis. Well, whatever was available to them. And they were doing it at a great pace too. He had to admit, perhaps he did underestimate earthlings a bit after all. The Satteran was completely staggered. No one has ever been able to render him speechless before, but this inconsequential, scrawny little earthling female not only totally blew his mind but actually managed to make him feel a little uncomfortable about his prejudice. He was amazed at her confidence and wit. Most of the other people are either in denial or suck up to them, but she just boldly declared her true mind without even as much as an eye twitch! Despite her frail appearance, she's pretty daring.

There was this awkward silence, and Stacie suddenly felt a queer turning in her stomach as the gaze of his purple eyes pierced hers and she was instantly reminded who was sitting before her, making her realize that she might have gotten carried away.

-P-please forgive me... - She dropped her gaze, turning bright red, hating herself for caving into her impulsiveness. - None of what I said meant any disrespect. I'm just not used to false pretense you see...

 _"Oh no... He must be furious..."_ She thought with alarm when he didn't answer _"W... what have I done? That's it... I'm in huge trouble..."_ She burned with embarrassment from guilt, not daring to lift her face.

-W... well I... have to get back to my duties. I bid you goodnight sir... - She mumbled awkwardly, wanting to hide from the burning gaze of those eyes, and turned to walk away.

-Ivar. - He suddenly said, stopping her in her tracks.

-What? - She turned to glance at him with a stun.

-That is my name. You gave me yours, and it is not in our nature to appear uncivilized. - He said as he slowly rose from his seat, and suddenly she was overpowered by the magnificence of his towering, perfectly shaped and strong looking figure, feeling very small in his presence - Stacie... - He repeated her name with a glance that told her he'll be remembering it and it sent a chill of shiver down her spine.

She blinked at him with a shock frozen to the floor with fluttering chest, watching him gracefully walk away.

_Tiny specs* - Freckles from Satteran point of view since their kind don't have freckles._


End file.
